Apparatus for stuffing plaits



Sept. 4, 1928.

A. S. MITCHELL ARIARATUS FOR STUFFING PLAITS Filed March 9, 192,7 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @fig/iff Sept. 4, 1928., 1,683,296

A. s. MnczHrsl.;

APPARATUS lFAOR STUFFING PLAITS Filed March 9, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 4,1928. 1,683,296

A. s. MITCHELL APPARATUS FOR STUFFING PLAITS Filed March 9, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ammi/wma,

Patented Sept. li, 1928.

naiss insaney ALLISTEB S. MITCHELL, OF OAKLAND, CALFORNA, .ASSIGNOR TO CALIFORNIA COT- TON MLLS COMPANY, OF OAKLAND, CALEFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR STUFFING- PLAITS.

Application Vfiledlarch 9, 1927. Serial No. 173,877.

This invention pertains particularly to apparatus adapted to the purpose of stuiiing the pipes, or plaits, of cushions, or upholstery; and the primary object of the inven tion is to provide apparatus particularly well adapted for use in practicing the Mitchell process of stuiiing upholstery which is def scribed in my Reissue Patent No. 16,283, y

granted March 9, 1926. In the process described in said patent, the advance end of a continuous strip of batting drawn from a suitable supply is confined within a tubular insertion-tool; the tool is inserted in a plait; the advance end of the strip is then held while the tool is withdrawn from the plait, thus reloading the tool; the strip is then severed at the advance end of the tool by giving the tool a lateral jerk; and the operation is continued in this manner to ffill successive plaits. f

lThe process described now is employed for stuffing practically all of thevplaited seatcushions and backs used in automobiles in this country, some of these-cushions being manufactured by automobile companies, or subsidiaries, such as body builders, andsoine being manufactured by large trim' shops.

In carrying out the process heretofore, it

has been the practice, ordinarily, to draw the strip from a boX or reel located across the aisle adjacent the bench where the operators work in carrying on the plait-stuffing operations. rlhere are various objections to this practice, one of the objections being the cluttering 'of the aisle and the danger that the strips extending across the aisle may become entangled with the feet of operators.

In accordance with the present invention vthe continuous strip of batting used for stuffing plaits is carried on a reel suspended, at a suitable height, back of the position which the operator occupies; and preferably the rotation of the reel for unwinding purposes is controlled by a brake, whose operation is controlled by the plait-stuffing tool. In the practice of the Mitchell process, 4the operator inserts the tubular tool, within which the advance end of the strip is compressed, into Vthe plait; then withdraws the tool while holding the front end of the strip againstv withdrawal' then ressinfr down upon the near end of the filled plait while .holding the front portion of the tubular tool collapsed, the operator gives a twitch, Vor

lin whichlateral jerk, to the tool which severs the strip. While this severing operation is taking place, the base end ofthe tool naturally is allowed to drop; and in the apparatus embodying` the present invention, the weight of the i *tool serves to set the brake.

The arrangement may be varied, however.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment inthe accompanying drawings,

Fig. y lis a sectional elevational viewtaken as indicated at line 1 of Fig. 2, 'showing apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the apparatus shown in Fig.k 1, the view being taken from a point tothe right of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is an enlarged, broken, sectional view illustrating the manner in which the reel is Y mounted Vin the hangers; Fig. kl, a broken sectional view taken as indicated at line 4 of 'y Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a broken section taken at line 5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a broken perspective view of the apparatus; Fig. 7, a broken sectional view of a modification; and Fig. 8, a broken and'F, a tubular insertion-tool having its base end Vportion suspendedv from vthe device E through the medium of a flexible member, or cord, F. f The track A may be omitted, if desired, in which case the carrier Bjmay be suspended from a stationary support. The track may be of any suitable construction adapted to support the carriage and permitt to'be shifted to any desired point. The track is lshown supported by an overheadmember A which may constitute a part of thel building structure. Y

The carrier B may be of any suitablecon'- struction. It is shown as comprising hangers lV fitted at their lower ends with bearings 2 and 3. The bearing 2 is shown as a closed bearing equipped with anti-friction bea-rings i ing the stub-portion 4 and a main tubular part 4LL secured thereto and provided atit's free end with a slot 4b adapted to fit .over a Stud 5 with which the adjacentA end of the shaft-section C is equipped,

In practice, the trim shopv will receive a continuous kstrip oi batting` wound upon a tubular pasteboard core D; the shaft-section C2 will be lslipped through the tubular core;

and thev loaded shaft-section will then be kplaced in the hangers. the tubular member 4a telescoping with the .shaftesection C and engaging the stud 5 and the member l4 being received inthe open bearing 3. Y

The brake device E is shown as comprisling a brake-wheel 6 secured on the shaftv section C', and a brake-lever 7lequipped with a brake-shoe7a adapted to engage the brakewheel. The lever '7 is shown pivoted yto a stud 8 carried by a bracket 8a depending upon the bearing 2. .y

The brake-controlling deviceE is shown as comprising a rock-member 9 pivoted on a connecting member 10 extending between the hangers 1; and a link, or rod, 11 connecting one arm 9xl of the rock-member with the brake-lever 7. The arm 9a is shown equipped with an adjustable weight 12. The member 9 is also provided with a member 9b which extends parallel'with the axis of the reel. From the member 9b depends the flexible member F', which is equipped at its upper end with a ring 13 adapted tov slide on the member 9b. l

In the use of the improved apparatus, the plaited upholstery fabric (not shown) is placed upon the work bench G. The operator, if a right han-ded person, stands at the left of the tool as villustrated in Fig. 1, facing the bench. While inserting the tool' into the plait, the weight upon the cord F is relieved, thus permitting the brake to be released, which, in turn, permits the Weight of the loop D2 of the batting-strip to,turn the reel and pay Aout a required amount 'of the batting-stripfrom the reel.y When the operator, after withdrawing the tnol from the plait. allows the base end to drop, the weight ofthe tool serves to set the brake and preventgthe paying out of an undue amount of batting-strip from the reel. Y The operation described be reversed. That is, the construction and arrangement may be such that the'bralre will be released by the weight of the tocl when the base end of the tool is dropped. In this case, the batting-strip will be paid out 'from the reel during the period when the severing ol the strip is being efl'ected, and the brake will operate to hold the reel while the strip is being inserted in the plait.

It is possibie for an operator to properly regulate the paying out of the batting-strip from thereel without interfering with the free operation ol2 he tool in the plaitstuliing process, i y

In themodilication shown in Figs. 7V and 8, Vprovisionis made fer .supporting the pasteboard tube D and thestrip of batting D wound thereon directly on a pair of stubshafts journalled in suitable hangers B. The hangers are designated 15 and 16. The hanger 16 is jointed. The jointed hanger comprises an upper member 17 tted at its lower end with a hinge-disk 17a; and a lower ,y

The

member 18 fitted with a hinge-disk 18a. peripheries of said disks are provided with registering notches 19 which are engaged by a locking-pawl 2O which is pivotally mounted at 20a and yieldingly lheld in the locking position by a torsion-spring 20h. y The hingedisks 17'@L and 1.8Zt are pivotally connected byV a bolt 21.

The locking-pawl 20 is lequipped with an arm 20c with which is connected a cord 22.

The llock may be released by pulling upon the cord 22, whereupon the section 18 of the hanger may be swung outwardly.;

The hangers are itted at their lower ends with anti-friction bearings 23 in which are journalled stub-shafts 24, one of which has connectedl therewith the brake-wheel 6 of the brake device E', whichis of the construction previously described. u

The stub-shaftsk are 'fitted with tube-engaging members 25 whichpreferably are tapered slightly. These tapered plugs engage the ends of the-pasteboard' tube D. Obviously, when it is desired to introduce fresh bale of batting strip,rthis may be done by releasing the loclring-pawl 20 and vswingingthe hanger-section 18 outwardly, thus'permitting the removal of the/tube of the previous bale and enabling a loaded tube to be inserted.

TheV foregoing detailed been given for .clearness of understanding only,'and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims shouldv be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art. y

WhatI regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Plait-stuliingapparatus comprising a reel, a brake controlling said reel, and an` Vinsertion-tool controlling the operation ofY description has member controlling said brake, and an inber.

3. Plait-stuiing apparatus, comprising a reel adapted to carry a continuous strip of batting, a brake controlling said reel, a rock member controlling said brake, an insertion-tool, and a suspension member connected with the base end portion of said insertion-tool and shiftabiy connected With said rock-member.

4L. Apparatus 'for the purpose set forth, Comprising a suspended reel, a brake-device controlling the operation of said reel, a pivoted member Controlling the operation of said brake device, a tubular insertiontool, and a flexible member connecting the base end portion of said tool With said pivoted member. l Y

5. Apparatus for the purpose set forth, comprising a pair of hanger-members, a shaft having a` bearing in one. of said hanger members, a brake-device connected with said shaft7 means for supporting a roll of batting material on said shaft and the other hanger, said means permitting` insertion of ALLISTER s. MITCHELL. 

